and Enniskillen) as did three (Downpatrick, Lisburn, and Newry) where any corporation was defunct by 1801. Several of the urban districts in Northern Ireland created under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 later received charters granting borough status. The Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 replaced the multi-tier local government system with 26 unitary districts whose councils could retain the charter of a borough within the district; other districts later received borough charters in their own right. The 2015 local government reforms replaced the 26 districts with 11 larger districts. The "statutory transition committee" handling each council merger had the right to request transfer of borough status as in 1972, and unionist-majority councils did so, while nationalist-majority councils chose not to apply. There were complications where places had city status; therefore Belfast, Derry and Lisburn's borough charters carried over automatically, without the need for the council to pass a resolution. Although Newry received city status in 2002, Newry and Mourne District Council did not receive borough status. In 2015 its successor Newry, Mourne and Down District Council voted not to request borough status, the required two-thirds majority failing after opposition from Sinn Féin. See also City status in the United Kingdom References Citations Sources Local Government Act 1972 Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 Whitaker's Almanac 1975, 1986, 1995 editions Local Government in England and Wales : A guide to the New System, HMSO, London 1974 External links Text of charter granted to Charnwood, 15 May 1974 Charters of Hereford Minutes of Privy Councilheld on 14 March 2001, where approval was given for the grant of a charter to Telford and the Wrekin Text of charter granted to West Devon, 26 April 1982 Types of subdivision in the United Kingdom